Cultivated Land

R. R. Mileage

OUR INDUSTRIAL POSITION IN THE WORLD.

BY HENRY GANNETT.

[Henry Gannett, geographer of the United States geological survey; born Bath, Me., Aug. 24, 1846; graduated Lawrence Scientific school and Hooper Mining school of Harvard University; geographer of tenth, eleventh, and twelfth censuses; assistant director Philippine census, and since 1882 geographer of the geological survey; author of many articles in magazines and reviews chiefly on the resources of the United States, and of the following among other books: Commercial Geography, Building of a Nation, The United States, and Manual of Topographic Surveying.] Copyright 1902 by Forum Publishing Company

The United States has 7 per cent of the land area of the earth, and 5 per cent only of the world's population. One in 20 of the people of the world owe allegiance to Uncle Sam. In numbers, we are exceeded by China, which has more than one fourth of the earth's inhabitants; the British empire, with nearly one fourth; and Russia, with about one twelfth. All the people of China and 85 per cent of those of the British empire represent an early civilization; the Russians promise a high civilization in the future; while the United States stands for the highest type of the civilization of to-day. After us in numbers are Germany, with 3.7 per cent of the earth's population; Austria-Hungary and Japan, with 3 per cent each; and France, with 2.5 per cent.

With only one twentieth of the earth's population, we have subdued and devoted to the use of man not less than one fourth of the cultivated land of the earth, that is, more than India or China, with their enormous populations; and our 400,000,000 acres of land under cultivation produce in such profusion as to give us pre-eminence in most of the products of agriculture. Of the wheat of the earth we contribute 22 per cent, which is more than any other nation. Russia produces but 15 per cent, and France but 12 per cent. We export from one fourth to one third of our crop to supply the deficiencies of Europe. Indian corn, one of the gifts of the new world to the old, still finds its home in American soil; for four fifths of the world's crop is grown in North America, and nearly all of it in the United States.

Oats are more cosmopolitan. We produce nearly one third, slightly exceeding the production of Russia, while Germany produces about three fifths as much as the United States.

Rye and barley are a different story. Of these two cereals the United States produces scarcely any, while Russia raises more than half the world's crop of the former and a fourth of the latter, leading the world in these two cereals. Of rice we produce but a trifling amount, in comparison with the enormous crops of China and India.

As with corn, so with cotton. Of this textile fibre the United States furnishes three fifths of the world's supply, while India contributes but one sixth, and Egypt one fifteenth. Two thirds of our crop goes to Europe, to supply the factories of England and the continent. Two thirds of the cotton manufactured in Europe is raised by negro labor in our southern states.

In the production of other fibres, the showing is not by any means so favorable to the United States. In the matter of wool, we are exceeded by Australia, Argentine, and Russia, which produce, respectively, 19, 15, and 16 per cent of the world's product, while the United States contributes only 11 per cent, and spends $20,000,000 annually in supplying her deficiency. Of raw silk we produce none; of hemp 4 per cent only, while Russia raises nearly half the world's supply; and of flax fibre very little. Here again Russia comes to the front, with nearly four fifths of the world's supply.

Potatoes we gave to Europe, and Europe almost monopolizes their cultivation, producing over nine tenths of the world's crop while the United States raises less than one tenth of it.

Our production of sugar from all sources-from the cane of Louisiana, Porto Rico, and Hawaii, and from beets—is but 8 per cent of that of the world. Of cane sugar, we raise about one fifth, and of beet sugar little more than half of 1 per cent. We spend $100,000,000 per year on imported sugar.

Of coffee and tea we raise comparatively trifling amounts, importing practically all we use; but in the production of tobacco we lead with 37 per cent of the world's product. In

the production of hops we are exceeded by Great Britain and Germany; our country producing but 18 per cent of the world's

crop.

In the making of alcoholic liquors this country does not take high rank. Of the wine of the world, we contribute 1 per cent only; of spirits, 10 per cent; and of beer, 19 per cent. Germany and Great Britain exceed us in the brewing of beer, and France, Germany, Russia, and Austria in the manufacture of spirits.

In live stock, our standing is good. We have one fourth of the horses, or more than any other country except Russia; and nearly one fourth of the cattle, far more than any other country. We have only 7 per cent of the sheep, and here we are exceeded by Australia and Argentine; but we have more than two fifths of the hogs on earth. Our meat production is nearly one third that of the earth; our catch of fish is proportionately but little less; and both are far greater than those of any other country. Our dairy products are nearly one fourth of those of the earth, and nearly double those of any other country.

Summing up, it appears that of the entire agricultural product of the world, the United States produces 23 per centa little less than one fourth; while Russia produces 15 per cent, and Germany and France, 12 per cent each. This proportion of the agricultural product of the earth which is contributed by the United States, enormous when contrasted with her population and area, is further emphasized by the fact that for every man here engaged in agriculture, a product valued at $900 is contributed, while the average Frenchman produces but $580, and the average German, but $510, in agricultural products. In other words, the average American farmer produces over 50 per cent more than the citizen of any other nationality. This is due, primarily, to the fact that the farms of the United States have larger areas. The average farmer of this country cultivates 44 acres, while the Frenchman cultivates but 13, and the German but 8. On the other hand, farming is more intensive in Europe than in America, the product per acre being nearly twice as great; but with the abundance and cheapness of land and the high cost of labor